Parenting helplines
Family Lives
Parentline: 0808 800 2222 (9am-9pm weekdays. 10am-3pm weekends)
Family Lives provides targeted early intervention and crisis support to families. If you need to talk, we're here to listen. Find advice on all aspects of family life from relationships, special educational needs, stepfamilies, fostering, to holidays and online safety.
Children 1st (Scotland)
Parentline: 08000 28 22 33
We get calls from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, neighbours and friends who all want the same thing - to try and make things better. Many callers get in touch with us when they are at the end of their tether and feel like they can't cope anymore. Sometimes callers are embarrassed about asking for help but they soon find that just talking things through can really make a difference. If you have a problem, don't wait until you feel things get out of control.
Action for Children
Concerned about Covid-19? You’re not alone. We’ve pooled practical advice on everything from family life to home schooling. Down-to-earth parenting advice you can trust. We’re on hand to support parents, when you need us. Browse our articles on the most common parenting questions from our experts. Or talk one-to-one with a qualified parenting coach about anything that’s worrying you. It’s all free, and no topic is too big, small, or embarrassing.
Home-Start
Home-Start volunteers help families with young children deal with the challenges they face. We support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children from birth to starting school. Families struggling with post-natal depression, isolation, physical health problems, bereavement and many other issues receive the support of a volunteer who will spend around two hours a week in a family’s home supporting them in the ways they need.
YoungMindsHelpline: 0808 802 5544www.youngminds.org.uk Parents' Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional well being of a child or young person.
One Plus One
One Plus One is an online relationships resource offering information and support through an interactive website Click and online courses such as See it differently designed to help couples see the impact of their arguments on children and learn how to do it differently, and Getting it right for children to help separated parents communicate without distressing their children.
MumsMeetUp
MumsMeetUp connects mums locally and across the UK. It provides a quick and simple solution for mums to find others in their area, in the same boat, and to go on the journey of being a mum together - creating proper real life friendships for them and their children. Within just a few clicks mums are able to search their county and locality to find mums similar by age, age of child and circumstances (such as mums to be, working mums, single parent mums & more). Additionally, mums of children with disabilities are able to search by similar conditions, as well as location.
Netmums
Empty Nest - Starting University A unique local network for Mums (or Dads), offering a wealth of information on both a national and local level. Once registered, you can access details for all kinds of local resources, from child-friendly cafes to childminders, places to go etc.
Gingerbread
Single Parent Helpline: 0808 802 0925
One Parent Families/Gingerbread is the leading national charity working to help lone parents and their children.
Families Need Fathers
Helpline: 0300 0300 363
Help with shared parenting issues arising from relationship breakdown whether you’re the mum or dad, married or unmarried.
Kinship
Advice Line: 0300 123 7015
Kinship care is when a child lives full-time or most of the time with a relative or close family friend, usually because their parents are not able to care for them. Grandparents are the most common kinship carers, but older siblings, aunts, uncles, and people who know the child well can also take on the role. Here at Kinship, we offer a range of free support for all kinship carers, including workshops, online advice and information, and peer support groups.
New Family Social
Helpline: 020 3880 2683
New Family Social promotes the care and upbringing of children by LGBT adopters and foster carers by allowing these families to socialise and share support in a safe environment. It helps to create a wide pool of adopters and foster carers by raising awareness and encouraging and supporting prospective adopters and carers, and by promoting their utilisation and fair treatment. It also works to advance public awareness and acceptance of these families in the interest of the growing number of children being cared for by them.
NHS Live Well
If you're a gay man or a lesbian, it doesn't mean you have to go through life without having a family of your own. The options available to potential gay and lesbian parents are wider now than ever before.
Being a Step Parent
BeingAStepParent contains over 90 articles written by experts who continually update and add new content.